Am I at risk for skin cancer?
Individuals at high risk for skin cancer typically have fair skin and a history of significant sun exposure. People with numerous moles or a history of an abnormal mole and people with a family history of skin cancer are at significantly increased risk. Patients who have a personal history of skin cancer are at the greatest risk. However, it should be remembered that skin cancer can occur in anyone.

What can I do to minimize my risk?
Strict avoidance of ultraviolet light is very important to minimize your risk of skin cancer.

I have already had one skin cancer, what are my chances of getting another?
Studies have shown that individuals who develop one skin cancer have about a 50% risk of getting another one within the next five years. Strict sun avoidance and regular follow-up visits are thus very important.

Now that I have been diagnosed with skin cancer, how should it be treated?
The treatment of melanoma must strictly adhere to the current guidelines of care, but there are many different ways to treat basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. The choice of treatment depends on certain characteristics of the cancer itself and patient factors including patient preference.

What are my chances of scarring following a biopsy or removal of a skin growth including cancer?
It is impossible for any physician, regardless of the extent of experience and training, to remove a growth from the skin without leaving a scar. The techniques we utilize, however, allow us to minimize the degree of scarring. In some cases, the resulting mark may be so inconspicuous that it is hard to find even when looking for it. A patient's risk of noticeable scarring is related to many factors, including the location of the lesion on the skin surface, his or her personal tendency towards scarring, the quality of the wound care, his or her ability to avoid sun exposure on the healing area, the degree of compliance with tobacco avoidance instructions, and surgical technique. Despite our best efforts, though, some degree of scarring is an inevitable part of having surgery.

If I have a personal history of skin cancer, am I more likely to develop an "internal" cancer (unrelated to my skin)?
There is some limited evidence to suggest that patients who have had skin cancer might be at increased risk of developing an internal malignancy. Although the validity of this proposed link has not been firmly established, appropriate screening measures for other cancers as determined by age and other risk factors are strongly encouraged for everyone. Current guidelines for cancer screening can be obtained from your primary care physician and through the American Cancer Society.

How often should I have a skin examination?
The answer to this question depends upon your risk of skin cancer. In general, a yearly skin examination is an important part of a good health maintenance program, but individuals at very high risk due to a personal or family history of skin cancer may need to be seen more often.

Where can I go for a regular skin check?
We perform routine screening examinations and mole checks for skin cancer. However, if you were referred to us by another dermatologist for management of a skin cancer, we recommend that you see him or her on a regular basis in the future to check for further skin cancers.

Are tanning beds safe?
It doesn't matter whether the exposure to ultraviolet light occurs outdoors or in a tanning bed, as all UV light is damaging to the skin. Exposure to ultraviolet light is associated with both skin cancer and premature aging, neither of which is desirable.

Are self-tanning creams containing dihydroxyacetone safe?
Based on all available data, these agents appear to be a perfectly safe alternative to an ultraviolet tan.

I have heard that we need sunlight to make vitamin D. Will I or my children become vitamin D deficient just because we avoid the sun and wear sunscreen daily?
In general, the answer to this question is NO. We recommend that you eat a proper diet, take a daily vitamin supplement, and minimize your ultraviolet exposure as much as possible.

What is an actinic keratosis?
An actinic keratosis looks like a reddish scaly patch most often on the face, scalp, or arms of someone with a history of significant sun exposure. It is best considered a "pre-cancerous" growth. While actinic keratoses are not inherently dangerous, some of them may turn into squamous cell carcinoma if left untreated. For this reason, we routinely remove actinic keratoses as preventive therapy. Actinic keratoses can typically be removed with non-invasive measures, including liquid nitrogen therapy and topical medications, as well as with various other techniques.

What is a dysplastic nevus (also known as an atypical mole)?
The word 'nevus' refers to a mole and the terms 'dysplastic' and 'atypical' are used interchangeably. An atypical or dysplastic nevus is a mole that is biologically benign but has some of the features that are seen in melanoma. A dysplastic nevus may meet one or more of the 'ABCD' criteria on visual inspection, but when biopsied, its pathological features are not sufficiently developed to render a diagnosis of melanoma. An atypical nevus may or may not need to be removed depending on how worrisome its features are. Of greatest importance is that patients with a history of one or more dysplastic nevi have an increased risk of developing a melanoma. For this reason, patients with a history of one or more abnormal moles need to keep a close eye on their skin and have any new or changing moles checked.